Game apparatus

ABSTRACT

A game apparatus having a plurality of identical playing boards, each having a plurality of rectangles marked thereon and being arranged in a line with the longer dimension of the rectangles being substantially perpendicular to the line. On one side of the board an arrow points to the left with the letter L next to it and on the other side an arrow points to the right with the letter R next to it. Each board has its own set of markers with each marker of the set having a different numeral on it. The markers have a substantially rectangularly shaped base generally conforming to the dimensions of the rectangles marked on said playing boards, with the height of said markers being greater than the longer dimension of said base. The number of markers in each set equals the number of rectangles marked on said playing boards. The rectangles marked on the game boards are spaced laterally by a distance less than the height of said markers. A deck of cards is used comprising a first plurality of cards having no numerals on them known as free cards and a second plurality of cards comprising several pairs of cards with at least one pair of cards having the same numeral on them as that on each of said markers with one card of each pair having the letter L on it and the other card of the set having the letter R on it.

United States Patent 72] inventor Wilfred H. Rattey, Jr.

1 Laurel Lane, Cumberland, R.l. 02864 [2 1] Appl. No. 79,026 [22] Filed Oct. 8, 1970 [45] Patented Dec. 7, 1971 [54] GAME APPARATUS Primary ExaminerDelbert B. Lowe Attorney-Barlow and Barlow ABSTRACT: A game apparatus having a plurality of identical playing boards, each having a plurality of rectangles marked thereon and being arranged in a line with the longer dimension of the rectangles being substantially perpendicular to the line. On one side of the board an arrow points to the left with the letter L next to it and on the other side an arrow points to the right with the letter R next to it. Each board has its own set of markers with each marker of the set having a different numeral on it. The markers have a substantially rectangularly shaped base generally conforming to the dimensions of the rectangles marked on said playing boards, with the height of said markers being greater than the longer dimension of said base. The number of markers in each set equals the number of rectangles marked on said playing boards. The rectangles marked on the game boards are spaced laterally by a distance less than the height of said markers. A deck of cards is used comprising a first plurality of cards having no numerals on them known as free cards and a second plurality of cards comprising several pairs of cards with at least one pair of cards having the same numeral on them as that on each of said mar kers with one card of each pair having the letter L on it and the other card ofthe set having the letter R on it.

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INVENTORQ WILFRED H. RATTEY,JR.

ATTORNEYS GAME APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to the field of amusement games and more particularly to a new game of chance and skill. The game is directed for the use of both young and old who desire to play a game, the outcome of which is not altogether left to the element of chance but has some element of skill in it. The game is also particularly appropriate for children since it can be played by them as merely a game of chance with excitement provided as the markers are toppled into each other causing a chain reaction or wipeout. It also provides a game which allows younger children to learn their numbers in the range from one to 19 and to also learn which direction is left and which is right. The game further provides an exercise in manual dexterity and finger manipulation for the younger child in standing the markers on end on the game board.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The name of the game is WIPEOUT and it may be played by two or more persons with each having his own game board and set of markers to go with it. The cards are shuffled and the deck of cards is placed face down in a convenient location for having a top card drawn therefrom. Each player then in turn draws a card from the top of the deck. On drawing a blank or free card, the player may set up any one of his markers on any rectangular mark on his playing board. The object of the game is to be the first player to have all his markers standing upright on the rectangular marks of his game board. If a card having a numeral on it is drawn, that player looks for his corresponding marker standing on his board, and if it is standing on the board, he must push it either left or right depending upon the direction noted on the card. As the marker falls, it will contact adjacently standing markers causing a chain reaction or wipeout of all or part of the players upstanding markers. All fallen markers are removed from the game board and the next player has his turn at drawing a card. If the player drawing a card picks up a card having numeral on it and he doesn't have that marker standing, there is no penalty and the next player would proceed to draw a card. The game continues till one player has all his markers upstanding on his game board and he is the winner.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 illustrates the game board of the game apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view illustrating different markers of the game apparatus resting on their various sides and the dimensional relationship of their parameters; and

FIG. 3 illustrates the cards of the game apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Looking to FIG. I, the game board 40 is illustrated with the name of the game, WIPEOUT, clearly printed across its top surface. The board itself could be made of a rigid material which would be foldable in half or in the form of a mat made of a flexible material that could be folded or rolled up. Formed across the width of the game board is a line of rectangular marks 42 having their longer dimension aligned substantially perpendicular to the line. The lateral distance between the marks is less than the height of the markers 44. This relationship is necessary so that when markers are positioned on adjacent marks on the game board, a chain reaction will result if one marker is knocked over in the direction of an adjacent marker causing a wipeout of the adjacent upstanding markers in that direction. Above the line of marks an arrow is placed at the left side and the right side. The letters L and R are respectively printed next to these arrows.

In FIG. 2, the markers 44 are shown with the three markers as having the numerals 3, 18 and 9 marked on their top surface. The other two markers illustrated show the numerals 7 and 14 on their side faces which would be upstanding when placed in position on the marks of the game board. In the present embodiment, since there are 19 rectangular marks on the game board, each set of markers would have 19 markers marked with numerals one through 19 respectively. The marks on the game board as illustrated are not numbered but could be numbered from one to 19 either consecutively or at random. As presently shown, the player has his choice of placing any numbered marker on any unnumbered rectangular mark.

An assortment of the different cards of the deck are shown in FIG. 3. The cards having numbers thereon are generally designated by the numeral 46. Card 48 is what is known as a free, blank or building card and does not have any numerals described thereon. In the deck of cards there would be several pairs of cards having the same numeral on them, with a pair corresponding to the number on each of said markers. On one card of each pair, the legend L or the word left" would be printed thereon and on the other card of the pair the legend R or the word right" would be printed. The deck for the illustrated embodiment would be comprised of cards, 38 having numerals thereon and the rest of the cards being free or building cards.

I will of course be understood that variations may be made in form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts without departing from the scope of the invention which consists of the matter shown and described herein and set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A game apparatus comprising:

a. a plurality of identical playing boards, each having a plurality of rectangles marked thereon and being arranged in a line,

b. each board having its own set of markers with each marker of the set having a different numeral on it, said markers having a substantially rectangularly shaped base generally conforming to the dimensions of the rectangles marked on said playing boards, there being a number of markers in each set equal to the number of rectangles marked on said playing boards, the height of said markers being greater than the longer dimension of said base,

c. said rectangles marked on said boards being spaced laterally by a distance less than the height of said markers whereby when there are a plurality of markers positioned upright on adjacent markers in the line and one of them is knocked over, as it falls it will strike the adjacent marker knocking it over and resulting in a chain reaction down the line of adjacent markers or a wipeout,

d. and a plurality of cards to be selected at random by a player and comprising several pairs of cards with at least one pair of cards having the same numeral on them as that on each of said markers with one card of each pair having the letter L on it and the other card of the set having the letter R on it, the plurality of cards further comprising additional cards having no numerals on them.

2. A game apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the game boards each have an arrow pointing to the left on one side with the letter L next to it and an arrow pointing to the right on the opposite side with the letter R next to it.

3. A game apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein the rectangles on the playing boards are arranged with their longer base dimension substantially perpendicular to the line. 

1. A game apparatus comprising: a. a plurality of identical playing boards, each having a plurality of rectangles marked thereon and being arranged in a line, b. each board having its own set of markers with each marker of the set having a different numeral on it, said markers having a substantially rectangularly shaped base generally conforming to the dimensions of the rectangles marked on said playing boards, there being a number of markers in each set equal to the number of rectangles marked on said playing boards, the height of said markers being greater than the longer dimension of said base, c. said rectangles marked on sAid boards being spaced laterally by a distance less than the height of said markers whereby when there are a plurality of markers positioned upright on adjacent markers in the line and one of them is knocked over, as it falls it will strike the adjacent marker knocking it over and resulting in a chain reaction down the line of adjacent markers or a wipeout, d. and a plurality of cards to be selected at random by a player and comprising several pairs of cards with at least one pair of cards having the same numeral on them as that on each of said markers with one card of each pair having the letter L on it and the other card of the set having the letter R on it, the plurality of cards further comprising additional cards having no numerals on them.
 2. A game apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the game boards each have an arrow pointing to the left on one side with the letter L next to it and an arrow pointing to the right on the opposite side with the letter R next to it.
 3. A game apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein the rectangles on the playing boards are arranged with their longer base dimension substantially perpendicular to the line. 